Device activation for a service using an outputted representation

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, a method activates a first device for using a service. A second device receives, from a third device, a user identifier for a user and a unique identifier for the first device. The user identifier originates from the third device and the unique identifier originates from the first device in a representation outputted by the first device. The second device determines a user account for the service, the user account being associated with the user identifier for the user. The second device associates the unique identifier for the first device with the user account. Then, the second device communicates with the first device to activate the first device to use the service in response to receiving the user identifier and the unique identifier. The second device allows access to the service from an application running on the first device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/901,309, entitled “DEVICE ACTIVATION USING ENCODED REPRESENTATION”,filed May 23, 2013, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional App. No.61/740,236, entitled “DEVICE ACTIVATION USING ENCODED REPRESENTATION”,filed Dec. 20, 2012, the contents of both are incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

A media program delivery service may offer different media programs fordelivery to users. A user may use a variety of devices to receive andview the media programs. For example, “living room” may beInternet-connected devices that may be located in a user's living roomand are relatively stationary. Although living room devices arediscussed, it is recognized that the devices may be located in otherlocations. Examples of living room devices include Internet-connectedtelevisions, set top boxes, gaming consoles, etc.

When a user wants to view media programs on a living room device, theuser needs to first activate the living room device with the mediaprogram delivery service. For example, a user may download anapplication associated with the media program delivery service onto theliving room device. Then, to associate the living room device with theuser's account for the media program delivery service, a unique ID ofthe living room device needs to be sent to the media program deliveryservice.

In one method of activation, a user uses a remote control to input theuser's username and password into the application on a display of theliving room device. The application would then activate the living roomdevice by sending the living room device's unique ID to the mediaprogram service. Once this occurs, the media program delivery serviceactivates the living room device and associates the living room devicewith the user's account. Once activated, the user can use theapplication to have media programs delivered to the living room device.However, having the user log in using the remote control may be timeconsuming and difficult because some remote controls do not provideconvenient ways of input. For example, a gaming console's controller isnot meant to input text and does not have a full alpha-numeric keyboard.This requires that a user to use an arrow pad to enter in one letter ata time. Additionally, a television remote control often does not have afull alpha-numeric keyboard either.

In another method of activation, the living room device may display anactivation code on a display device. The user must then go to anotherdevice, such as a laptop computer or mobile device, and log on to awebsite associated with the media program delivery service. Afterlogging on to the user's account on the website, the user enters in theactivation code being displayed on the living room device. Once thisoccurs, the media program delivery service activates the living roomdevice and associates the living room device with the user's account.The activation code identifies a unique ID for the living room device.In this case, the media program delivery service can identify the livingroom device and send credentials for the user to the living room devicesuch that the user is automatically logged in to the device. Afterwards,the user may automatically use the living room device to have mediaprograms delivered to it without logging on again.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a method activates a first device for using aservice. A second device receives, from a third device, a useridentifier for a user and a unique identifier for the first device. Theuser identifier originates from the third device and the uniqueidentifier originates from the first device in a representationoutputted by the first device. The third device captured the outputtedrepresentation in a same physical location as the first device. Thesecond device determines a user account for the service, the useraccount being associated with the user identifier for the user. Thesecond device associates the unique identifier for the first device withthe user account, wherein the association allows the user to use theservice with the first device. Then, the second device communicates withthe first device to activate the first device to use the service inresponse to receiving the user identifier and the unique identifier. Thesecond device allows access to the service from an application runningon the first device in response to associating the unique identifierwith the user account and activating the first device.

In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumcontains instructions for activating a first device for using a service,wherein the instructions, when executed, control a second device to beconfigured for: receiving, by the second device from a third device, auser identifier for a user and a unique identifier for the first device,the user identifier originating from the third device and the uniqueidentifier originating from the first device in a representationoutputted by the first device, wherein the third device captured theoutputted representation in a same physical location as the firstdevice; determining, by the second device, a user account for theservice, the user account being associated with the user identifier forthe user; associating, by the second device, the unique identifier forthe first device with the user account, wherein the association allowsthe user to use the service with the first device; communicating, by thesecond device, with the first device to activate the first device to usethe service in response to receiving the user identifier and the uniqueidentifier; and allowing, by the second device, access to the servicefrom an application running on the first device in response toassociating the unique identifier with the user account and activatingthe first device.

In one embodiment, a method for activating a first device for deliveringmedia to the first device includes: upon being provided on a firstdevice, determining, by an application, that activation of the firstdevice via a second device is necessary for configuring a service for auser to use on the first device; determining a unique ID for the firstdevice from the application, the unique ID originating from the firstdevice; outputting a representation of the unique ID via the firstdevice, wherein: the representation is configured to be captured by athird device in a same physical location and the third device canrecognize the unique ID, the second device is configured to determine auser identifier for the user to the second device to allow the seconddevice to activate the first device for the service, the user identifieroriginating from the second device, and the third device automaticallyreceives the unique ID and the user identifier from the second deviceand activates the first device to use the service in response toreceiving the user identifier and the unique identifier.

The following detailed description and accompanying drawings provide abetter understanding of the nature and advantages of particularembodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a simplified system for device activation according toone embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows an example where the encoded representation is a visualrepresentation according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 depicts a simplified flowchart of a method for using a captureapplication that is not associated with the media program deliveryservice according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 depicts another method for activating a device when using ascanning application associated with the media program delivery serviceaccording to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 depicts an example of system that is used to activate a livingroom device using an audio representation according to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the device activation process according toone embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein are techniques for a device activation system. In thefollowing description, for purposes of explanation, numerous examplesand specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of particular embodiments. Particular embodiments asdefined by the claims may include some or all of the features in theseexamples alone or in combination with other features described below,and may further include modifications and equivalents of the featuresand concepts described herein.

FIG. 1 depicts a simplified system 100 for device activation accordingto one embodiment. System 100 includes a living room device 102, amobile device 104, and a server 106. These devices may communicatethrough a local area network (LAN) and/or wide area network (WAN) thatmay be wireless or wired.

Living room device 102 may be associated with a display device 110 oraudio output device 112. Display device 110 and audio output device 112may be integrated with living room device 102 or may be separate fromliving room device 102. For example, living room device 102 may be a settop box or other computing device, such as a gaming console or mediacenter, and may be connected to a television or monitor. Additionally,living room device 102 may have integrated speakers or be connected toother speakers.

Living room device 102 is also Internet-connected where living roomdevice 102 can connect to a media program delivery service. The mediaprogram delivery service delivers media programs to living room device102 through server 106. For example, a user may use media deliveryapplication 108 to browse media programs, such as television shows ormovies. Media delivery application 108 may be any instance that allows auser to access the media delivery service. For example, media deliveryapplication 108 may be an application running on living room device 102.In other examples, media delivery application 108 may be a web browserthat opens a webpage that allows the user to access the media deliveryservice. Also, media delivery application 108 may be a link to a webpage that, when selected, opens the web page and allows the user toaccess the media delivery service. The user can select one of the mediaprograms on media delivery application 108 and have the media programdelivered, such as through a streaming protocol, to living room device102. Although a single server is shown, it will be understood thatmultiple servers may be used to deliver media programs. Further, serversthat deliver media program may not necessarily be used in deviceactivation.

Before delivery of the media programs can begin, a user needs toactivate living room device 102 through server 106. The activationrequires a third entity different from mobile device 104 and living roomdevice 102. This is because the activation is for activating living roomdevice 102 for the media program delivery service. Mobile device 104 isnot being paired with living room device 102, but is rather being usedto activate living room device 102. Mobile device 104 is not beingactivated in this scenario. During activation, living room device 102 isassociated with a user's account at the media program delivery service.Additionally, as discussed above, user credentials may be sent to livingroom device 102 to have the user automatically logged in when using amedia delivery application (MD APP) 108. Once device activation isperformed, then the user can have media programs delivered to livingroom device 102 using media delivery application 108. Althoughactivation is described with respect to a media program deliveryservice, particular embodiments may be used in any situation where onedevice wants to share a user session with another device in the samephysical location. In this case, a user may activate a device usingmobile device 104 through server 106.

To activate the device, a unique ID of living room device 102 needs tobe associated with the user's account at the media program deliveryservice. A unique ID may uniquely identify living room device 102 fromother living room devices 102 within a group. For example, eachtelevision manufactured by a company may have a unique ID associatedwith it. Additionally, every television manufactured may be uniquelyidentified.

Particular embodiments allow a user to automatically activate livingroom device 102 without having to input the unique ID into anapplication when living room device 102 needs to be activated throughserver 106. Also, a user does not need to use a remote control to loginto media delivery application 108 to have living room device 102activated. As will be discussed in more detail below, media deliveryapplication 108 may encode the unique ID of living room device 102 intoan encoded representation. For example, the encoded representation maybe a visual representation, such as a standard one-dimensional barcode,a two-dimensional barcode (e.g., a quick response (QR) code), or anaudio representation, such as data within an audio signal (e.g., asequence of audio tones, interspersed audio, or encoded audio in theaudio signal). Living room device 102 outputs the encoded representationon an output device, such as on display device 110 or through audiooutput device 112.

A user may use mobile device 104 to capture the encoded representation,such as a capture application (Capture APP) 114 is opened and used tocapture the encoded representation. In one example, capture application114 may control a scanner (e.g., a camera) that can scan the barcode ormay be an audio recognition application that can recognize the audiorepresentation received through a microphone. Once capture application114 captures the encoded representation, capture application 114 candetermine the unique ID of the living room device 102. Different methodsfor determining the unique ID may be appreciated and will be describedin more detail below.

Once determining the unique ID, capture application 114 sends the uniqueID along with a user identifier for the user's account to a deviceactivation manager 116 in server 106. The user identifier may beinformation associated with the user, such as a user session token,which is an encrypted record of the user's authenticated session oncapture application 114. In other examples, a user's log in and password(e.g., credentials) for the media program delivery service are sent.Device activation manager 116 uses the user identifier to determine theuser's account for the media program delivery service and then activatesliving room device 102 using the unique ID. In the activation process,device activation manager 116 may associate the unique ID of living roomdevice 102 with the user's account for the media program deliveryservice. In this case, the media program delivery service requires thatliving room device 102 be activated for a user to receive media programson that device. Also, device activation manager 116 may send credentialsfor the user to living room device 102. Living room device 102 receivesthe credentials using various methods. For example, living room device102 “polls” (requests repeatedly at a specified interval) deviceactivation manager 116 for the credentials. Also living room device 102may open a socket and wait for the credentials from device activationmanager 116. Once capture application 114 notifies device activationmanager 116, then server 106 will start returning a successful responseto living room device 102 including the authenticated details of theuser account. Living room device 102 stores the credentials and mediadelivery application 108 uses the credentials to automatically log theuser in to the media program delivery service when the user opensapplication 108. Thus, the user does not need to log in every timeapplication 108 is used on living room device 102. Additionally, afteractivation, the user can have media programs delivered to living roomdevice 102. Accordingly, a user has activated living room device 102automatically without having to input a unique ID (or any representationof the unique ID) into any kind of application. This provides anefficient way for a user to activate living room device 102 with themedia program delivery service.

As discussed above, the encoded representation may take the form of avisual representation or an audio representation. FIG. 2 shows anexample where the encoded representation is a visual representationaccording to one embodiment. In this case, display device 110 outputs abarcode 202. Although barcode 202 is discussed, other visualrepresentations, such as pictures and codes, may also be appreciated.Barcode 202 encodes the unique ID of living room device 102. Forexample, application 108 may determine the unique ID of living roomdevice 102 and encode the unique ID in generating barcode 202.

Mobile device 104 includes a scanning device 204, such as a camera orinfrared (IR) scanner. Capture application 114 is used to controlscanning device 204 to capture barcode 202. For example, a user mayfocus scanning device 204 on barcode 202 and scanning device 204captures an image of barcode 202. After capturing barcode 202,particular embodiments may determine the unique ID. Capture application114 sends the unique ID and the user identifier to server 106.

In one example, a user may be using an application that is associatedwith the media program delivery service. For example, the media programdelivery service may have created a scanning application that the useris using. In another example, the user may not be using an applicationthat is associated with the media program delivery service. For example,the user may only be using a standard barcode scanning application.

FIG. 3 depicts a simplified flowchart 300 of a method for using acapture application 114 that is not associated with the media programdelivery service according to one embodiment. At 302, mobile device 104opens a scanning application that is not associated with the mediaprogram delivery service. For example, the user may open a cameraapplication that is configured for general scanning of barcodes 202.

At 304, the scanning application decodes the encoded information basedon the capturing of barcode 202. The scanning application may decode theencoded information using known methods. At 306, the scanningapplication determines a link to a service associated with the mediaprogram delivery service in the decoded information. For example,barcode 202 may include a universal resource locator (URL) to a webpageassociated with the media program delivery service. An example of thelink may be: www.hulu.com/activate?activation_code=ABC123.

At 308, the scanning application opens a page associated with the link.For example, the URL is opened in a web browser to display a pageassociated with the link. The page that is opened is automaticallyconfigured to determine the unique ID from the link. For example, thelink may have included the unique ID and is determined by the web page.In other embodiments, the web page may analyze the decoded informationcaptured from barcode 202 to determine the unique ID.

Because the user is using a scanning application not associated with themedia program delivery service, the user has not provided a useridentifier for the user's account associated with the media programdelivery service. Thus, at 310, the webpage associated with the linkreceives the user identifier. For example, the webpage may include entryboxes for a user to log on to the user's account at the media programdelivery service using the user identifier and a password. Once the userlogs on using the user identifier, at 312, the page sends the unique IDand the user identifier to server 106 to have the device activated.

FIG. 4 depicts another method for activating a device when using ascanning application associated with the media program delivery serviceaccording to one embodiment. At 402, mobile device 104 opens a scanningapplication that is associated with the media program delivery service.For example, the user may go to a webpage associated with the mediaprogram delivery service and log in. It should be noted that the usermay be automatically logged in using pre-stored information, such ascookies. Also, this page includes a scanning feature, such as the usermay select a feature that launches the scanning application when theuser wants to scan barcode 202. Alternatively, instead of opening a webpage, the user may open a pre-installed application associated with themedia program delivery service and log in (or be logged inautomatically). For example, the user may have downloaded an applicationthat is run on a smartphone. This application also includes a scanningapplication.

At 404, the scanning application is used to capture barcode 202. Forexample, a user may activate the scanning application from the mediaprogram delivery service application and use it to capture barcode 202.At 406, the scanning application decodes the encoded information todetermine the unique ID. Because the application is associated with themedia program delivery service, this application knows how to decode theURL in barcode 202 to determine the unique ID. Additionally, because auser has already logged in to the user's account on the media programdelivery service application, at 408, the scanning application candetermine the user ID automatically without requiring additional userinput after the scanning is performed. Thus, the user does not have toenter the user ID into the scanning application after scanning barcode202 in most cases. At 410, the scanning application sends the useridentifier and unique ID to server 106 to have living room device 102activated.

As discussed above, particular embodiments may also activate living roomdevice 102 via an audio representation. FIG. 5 depicts an example ofsystem 100 that is used to activate living room device 102 using theaudio representation according to one embodiment. Audio output device112 of living room device 102 may output the audio representation thatrepresents the unique ID of living room device 102. For example,application 108 uses the unique ID of living room device 102 to generatedata that can be included within an audio signal, such as an audio tonesequence. The data within the audio signal may encode the unique ID inthe audio signal. Then, audio output device 112 outputs the audiorepresentation.

Mobile device 104 uses capture application 114 to activate a microphone502 that is used to capture the audio representation. In one embodiment,capture application 114 is associated with the media program deliveryservice because the use of capturing the audio representation may not bea common application. However, a generic audio capture application mayalso be used.

After activation, microphone 502 listens for any the audiorepresentation. An audio recorder 504 records the audio representationfor a certain time period, such as for a few seconds or enough time tocapture the tone sequence that has encoded the unique ID. Then, an audiorecognition algorithm 506 may be run to convert the audio representationinto information that can be used to extract the unique ID. For example,the data within in the audio signal, such as the audio tone sequence, isconverted into digital information. Then, the unique ID is extractedfrom the digital information. Because the user is using an applicationassociated with the media program delivery service, the user may alreadybe logged in to the user's account. If not, the user may enter log ininformation. Capture application 114 then sends the unique ID and userID to server 106 to have living room device 102 activated.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the device activation process according toone embodiment. Server 106 receives the unique ID and user identifier.Device activation manager 116 looks up the user's account using the useridentifier. For example, device activation manager 116 determines theuser account for “User #1”. Device activation manager 116 thenassociates the unique ID with the user's account. As shown, devices Aand B are associated with the user #1's account.

Device activation manager 116 then communicates user credentials todevice A, which is being activated in this case. Media deliveryapplication 108 receives the credentials and stores them. Now, when auser opens media delivery application 108, the user is automaticallylogged in to the media delivery service and can select media programs tostream to device A.

Accordingly, particular embodiments allow a user to activate a devicewithout having to input the device's unique ID or any other charactersequence representing the unique ID to have the device activated. Thisalso alleviates the user from entering in any information using a remotecontrol that may be inconvenient. This provides a convenient activationof media delivery application 108.

Particular embodiments may be implemented in a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium for use by or in connection with theinstruction execution system, apparatus, system, or machine. Thecomputer-readable storage medium contains instructions for controlling acomputer system to perform a method described by particular embodiments.The computer system may include one or more computing devices. Theinstructions, when executed by one or more computer processors, may beoperable to perform that which is described in particular embodiments.

As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow,“a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein andthroughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and“on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

The above description illustrates various embodiments along withexamples of how aspects of particular embodiments may be implemented.The above examples and embodiments should not be deemed to be the onlyembodiments, and are presented to illustrate the flexibility andadvantages of particular embodiments as defined by the following claims.Based on the above disclosure and the following claims, otherarrangements, embodiments, implementations and equivalents may beemployed without departing from the scope hereof as defined by theclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for activating a first device for usinga service, the method comprising: receiving, by a second device from athird device, a user identifier for a user and a unique identifier forthe first device, the user identifier originating from the third deviceand the unique identifier originating from the first device in arepresentation outputted by the first device, wherein the third devicecaptured the outputted representation in a same physical location as thefirst device; determining, by the second device, a user account for theservice, the user account being associated with the user identifier forthe user; associating, by the second device, the unique identifier forthe first device with the user account, wherein the association allowsthe user to use the service with the first device; communicating, by thesecond device, with the first device to activate the first device to usethe service in response to receiving the user identifier and the uniqueidentifier; and allowing, by the second device, access to the servicefrom an application running on the first device in response toassociating the unique identifier with the user account and activatingthe first device.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifierand the unique identifier are received via a page for the service thatis opened on the second device.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereincommunicating with the first device to activate the first devicecomprises: communicating, by the second device, user credentials to thefirst device to activate the first device to use the service.
 4. Themethod of claim 3, wherein the user credentials are used by the firstdevice to automatically log in the user to the service when using theapplication.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user had previouslylogged into the third device using the user identifier before thecapturing is performed.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:receiving a request for a media program from the application on thefirst device at the service; and providing the media program to thefirst device in response to the request.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein: the representation comprises an encoded representationincluding the unique identifier, and the third device captured theencoded representation and decoded the encoded representation todetermine the unique identifier.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein theunique identifier uniquely identifies the first device among a group ofdevices.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier isuniquely identified by a company that manufactured the first device. 10.The method of claim 1, wherein the second device activates the firstdevice without having a user type in the unique ID on the third device.11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containinginstructions for activating a first device for using a service, whereinthe instructions, when executed, control a second device to beconfigured for: receiving, by the second device from a third device, auser identifier for a user and a unique identifier for the first device,the user identifier originating from the third device and the uniqueidentifier originating from the first device in a representationoutputted by the first device, wherein the third device captured theoutputted representation in a same physical location as the firstdevice; determining, by the second device, a user account for theservice, the user account being associated with the user identifier forthe user; associating, by the second device, the unique identifier forthe first device with the user account, wherein the association allowsthe user to use the service with the first device; communicating, by thesecond device, with the first device to activate the first device to usethe service in response to receiving the user identifier and the uniqueidentifier; and allowing, by the second device, access to the servicefrom an application running on the first device in response toassociating the unique identifier with the user account and activatingthe first device.
 12. The non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of claim 11, wherein communicating with the first device toactive the first device comprises: communicating, by the second device,user credentials to the first device to activate the first device to usethe service.
 13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 11, wherein: the representation comprises an encodedrepresentation including the unique identifier, and the third devicecaptured the encoded representation and decoded the encodedrepresentation to determine the unique identifier.
 14. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein theunique identifier is uniquely identified by a company that manufacturedthe first device.
 15. A method for activating a first device fordelivering media to the first device, the method comprising: upon beingprovided on a first device, determining, by an application, thatactivation of the first device via a second device is necessary forconfiguring a service for a user to use on the first device; determininga unique ID for the first device from the application, the unique IDoriginating from the first device; outputting a representation of theunique ID via the first device, wherein: the representation isconfigured to be captured by a third device in a same physical locationand the third device can recognize the unique ID, the third device isconfigured to determine a user identifier for the user to allow thesecond device to activate the first device for the service, the useridentifier originating from the third device, and the second deviceautomatically receives the unique ID and the user identifier from thethird device and activates the first device to use the service inresponse to receiving the user identifier and the unique identifier. 16.The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving user credentialsfrom the second device to allow the application on the first device tolog on to the service automatically.
 17. The method of claim 15, whereinthe representation comprises an encoded representation of the uniqueidentifier.
 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving arequest for a media program from the user on the first device for theservice; sending the request to the service for the media program; andreceiving the media program from the service in response to sending therequest.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the unique identifieruniquely identifies the first device in a group of devices.
 20. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the unique identifier is uniquely identifiedby a company that manufactured the first device.